


Felicitous

by UnbiddenRhythm



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, F/M, First Date, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:41:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24700231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnbiddenRhythm/pseuds/UnbiddenRhythm
Summary: Reeve finally has a date.
Relationships: Reeve Tuesti/Reeve Tuesti's Assistant
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	Felicitous

**Author's Note:**

> Rita is adapted from (Re)eve (T)uesti's (A)ssistant, but her last name is borrowed from AppleSharon, as it means 'steward' and is quite apt for her character.
> 
> This is all fluff and happiness. Enjoy!

The city felt alive tonight—and so did Reeve.

He stole a glance at the beautiful woman sidled next to him, their hands clasped. His assistant's smile dazzled as they strode from Headquarters toward the Executive Valet.

...They'd never held hands like this before.

Then again—despite years of working together and the deep and mutual admiration they'd forged—he'd also never offered to treat Rita to a Friday night in Midgar before.

But the walls he had carefully constructed, the levees of guilt and duty designed to deter indulgence in anything but his responsibilities, were crumbling. All because of _her:_ The way she greeted him in the morning with a smile and cup of coffee. Her penchant for staying at work just as late as he. Her consideration for the wellbeing of all the division employees. The glances she stole when she thought he couldn't see.

Her tender constancy wore down his defenses. He'd cracked. Reeve insisted he treat her to dinner for the first time ever and cast aside his private doubts about what other employees would think. She had happily accepted.

They were in uncharted territory. But to Reeve, it felt thrilling. _Alive_.

As they approached Reeve's company car from out of the driver's seat bounded a burly bearded man, with kind black eyes and a radiant smile. The man's attire suggested "Shinra-sleek", but a bushy mane of thick dark curls tied back belied this, giving him a sense of wildness—of fun.

"Look who it is!" His voice boomed. "My second-favorite person! Good evening, Mister Director." The man shot his boss a cheeky grin before turning to the woman holding Reeve's hand. "And he's with my _first_ -favorite person, Miss Spencer!" He bowed low to her.

"Now Felix, don't make him feel jealous," Rita laughed.

"Me? Never." Felix opened the door for them. "So, where to tonight?"

Reeve looked at Rita. "Ladies' choice," he gave her hand a slight squeeze. She smiled as she turned to Felix.

"Well, you know that art exhibition you were telling me about?"

"Ah, near the Sector 8 Fountain Plaza!" Felix barked with joy. "Oh Miss Rita, you're too good to me. Letting me tag along with you both to experience fine art on a Friday night—"

She waved him off with a roll of her eyes, but grinned nevertheless. 

After Reeve helped Rita inside, Felix caught his eye and flashed him a grin. "Partition up, sir?" he whispered to Reeve, who caught off-guard could only blush. Felix winked. "Up it is."

Rita noticed Felix raise the partition with a pert grin, which didn't help the heat in Reeve's face. Mercifully, she didn't comment. "So, be honest," she started instead, "when's the last time you've actually been out in the city at night? _Not_ for work," she added hastily before he could make his protest that he visited the city plenty for work.

 _Ah._ She had him there. And since he'd begun preparations for his new _...assignment_ with AVALANCHE, he'd been out even less. _"_ I can't even remember the last time," Reeve admitted, though as he did he felt a twinge of guilt at the idea of enjoying himself instead of committing his energy in service to the city.

"Well"—Rita grabbed his hand again and Reeve felt his stomach flutter, his distemper ease—"then I guess we'll definitely have to make the most of this time, huh?"

* * *

“Papa would love this one,” Rita observed a brilliant painting ten shades of blue with swirling vivid effect against the canvas. Then she chuckled. "But Poppy would probably hate it. They seem to have the opposite sense of taste." Rita looked at the placard next to the piece. "Maybe I'll tell them to drop by before the weekend’s over and decide for themselves.”

Reeve smiled at her. "They're quite fond of art? I never knew that about the Mayor, or the Deputy."

"Oh yes." Rita lit up. "They used to take me to exhibitions like this all the time. I like art, so it was their way to encourage my hobby. And they always felt it was important I appreciate all the culture Midgar has to offer. Especially Papa—he feels like it sets a good example, being the Mayor." She sighed. "He really _loves_ this city, you know. Maybe even more than you," her lips curved upward.

Reeve chuckled. "I can believe that, actually." He'd never cease to be impressed by Domino's passion for the citizens of Midgar. "As it stands, I don't get out nearly enough to actually enjoy the city for what she's worth."

At Rita's expression Reeve asked, "What?"

She scrunched her nose, giggling, " _She?_ " Reeve felt his cheeks tingle.

"You know what I mean."

"Oh yes"—heat burned in his belly at her satisfied expression—"I do."

They walked on through the gallery, coming to a painting was far less abstract—a vase of flowers, vivid yellow and fuchsia. Reeve lingered. "Now, Ma would love this one."

"It's beautiful," Rita said. "Has she ever been to something like this?"

"Not really. She doesn't like getting out into the town too much." He sighed. "It's a chore to get her to leave Sector 5, let alone go anywhere else in Midgar."

"Hmm," Rita pondered aloud. "Maybe you could bring the painting to her?" She pointed to a small placard next to the picture _'Available—Ask Attendant'_ and gave Reeve a knowing smile.

"You know, this is why you've become one of Ma's favorite people," he said to Rita while waving to the attendant, who recognized Reeve's Executive status with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. The attendant began tagging painting as claimed at once. "You're always looking out for her. One of these days, you two should actually meet."

"Well then, you should introduce us," she replied cheekily, elbowing his side. Reeve's heart leapt at the notion.

"Trust me, I will."

Still holding his hand, Rita led him toward the exit, where they spied Felix looming over the crowd, gazing admiringly at several pieces in the front gallery. He shot them a toothy grin as they approached.

"Enjoy yourselves?"

"Immensely," Reeve smiled at Felix, feeling Rita give his hand a gentle squeeze.

"See anything you liked?"

"The perfect painting for Ma. We'll need to pick it up before we leave tonight, Felix."

"Very good, sir. I'll take care of it." Felix's dark eyes twinkled as he clapped his thick hands together. "Now where to? A different part of the city? Or are you thinking of staying here in Sector 8?"

Both men looked at Rita, who pondered, looking out from the gallery atrium to the square, where there were several restaurants. "Do you have any suggestions for dinner, Felix?"

Reeve felt sure she asked only to make her friend happy, because happy did it make him. "Why, Rita—you know of course I always do!" His voice boomed jovially. Felix grinned at Reeve before saying to Rita, "Have you been to Colette's?"

Reeve fought to keep from glaring at Felix's lack of subtlety. Colette's, of course, was Sector 8's premier fine dining establishment, reputed for its elegance and _romantic_ environment.

"Never been," Rita sounded chipper if oblivious to the implications of Felix's suggestion. "But can we get in without reservations on a busy night?"

Felix laughed. "I wouldn't worry about that Rita—not if _this_ hotshot's with you," he nudged Reeve, who felt the color rising in his cheeks. "And it's just across the Plaza," Felix pointed the way to an elegant and sleek looking building, black-bricked with many large, shining glass panes. Written across the façade above the entrance in gold embossed letters in sprawling scroll there was a single word: _Colette's_.

"It looks beautiful," Rita's eyes scanned the black-bricked building, and Reeve felt Felix's large elbow poke his ribs again, black eyes warm and encouraging. Reeve couldn’t help smile—Felix did look out for him. Taking his cue, Reeve extended Rita his arm. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she took it.

The atmosphere looked smoky and felt sensual; darkly lit, with multicolored crystalline chandeliers glittering from the ceiling, it chimed with dreamy color. Packed with people, a typical wait could have been an hour easily.

But when the hostess spied Reeve—

"You're—" her eyes widened with recognition, and she gaped a little before regaining her senses. "It's an honor, _Director_ ," the young woman recovered gracefully, walking out to personally greet Reeve and Rita with a bow. She waved over another server, who seemed equally shocked yet also giddy upon seeing ShinRa's Director of Urban Planning in the flesh.

"What a privilege, Director Tuesti," their host bowed deeply, and Reeve hated the heat that rose in his face. "This way, to your private booth."

As they made their way into an elevator shaft and up to the private levels, Rita whispered low into Reeve's ear, "Private booth, huh, _hotshot?_ " Her breath fanned warm against his neck. Reeve's blush deepened, and he felt grateful for the low lighting as they settled side-by-side into their corner booth, with a beautiful view overlooking Sector 8’s softly-lit square plaza.

"I've come here before." Upon spying her expression, he hastily added, "not entirely by choice. It's Scarlet's favorite place—for exec lunches.”

"So... _this_ is where you go off to on those days?" She looked around, face inscrutable. Reeve's nerves rose, then Rita said, "I have to credit Scarlet. It might be overkill for lunch, but for dinner it seems perfect."

Reeve relaxed. Rita nestled closer, and he felt ablaze against the brush of her body on him. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arm around her but he refrained, and good thing too as their server arrived, menus in one hand and a bottle of sparkling wine in the other.

It still felt like a dream. He wanted to protect this feeling, preserve it forever. Raise a bank between this and the crashing waves of his burdens and failures.

"No talking about work tonight—promise?" he asked.

She mock pouted. "But what if I want to make fun of the other Directors with you?"

He laughed. How was it she always managed to breach his walls and make him feel so at ease?

"Okay. _Only_ that."

* * *

Dinner, divine though it had been, hadn't seemed nearly long enough in Reeve's opinion. Rita curled close to him and his arm freely wrapped 'round her, not caring what their server spied as they giggled together.

"Okay, okay," Rita gasped to catch her breath. "What about this one?" She looked very serious for a moment.

" _Would you rather..._ be stuck in a broken elevator with _Scarlet"—_ she paused for effect, smiling impishly at him—"or _Palmer._ BUT—" she stalled him before he could respond to what he thought was an obvious choice "—Palmer just let loose a terrible, abominably smelling fart—" she tried valiantly to keep focused as Reeve dissolved into snickers "—like he did _to me_ the other day as soon as I stepped onto the elevator with him."

Reeve failed to stifle his laughter now. "I thought I was going to suffocate, it was so bad," she deadpanned. Reeve's cheeks hurt from his wide grin.

"Honestly," he said through the tears of mirth forming at his eyes, "my answer's still Palmer." Upon hearing this, Rita cackled, then her face seemed to morph in front of his eyes.

"What, you mean to say you don't want to spend some _quality alone time_ with me, Tuesti?!" Rita highly exaggerated her impression of Scarlet and yet the tone, the cadence and swagger, the dip of her collarbone as she contorted to puff out her chest—the effect looked uncanny.

Then— " _Kya ha ha!_ "

It did not sound exaggerated. In fact, the laugh sounded so accurate, Reeve found himself darting around to prove that Scarlet indeed did not lurk nearby.

This made Rita peal with real laughter—beautiful, sounding of bells ringing.

Utterly disarmed by her, Reeve joined in her laughter saying, "Tha's a funny trick."

Immediately, her face scrunched in amusement and surprise. " _What_ did you just say?"

It took him a moment to register he'd slipped into his Kalm brogue. He was losing track of all the times he’d blushed tonight. But he didn’t mind it because Rita’s laugh made him feel effervescent. She slid closer to him, drawing to his ear to coo in a gentle tease, "Wee slip o' the tongue?"

He shook his head, willing his face to cool down. "Sorry about that. Old habits—comes out when I'm drinking. Forgive me?"

"Absolutely not," she didn't hesitate, impish grin gracing her face. "I _like_ it."

Reeve felt dizzy with delight. He could feel her honesty from the press of her body in his. "Do ye now, bonnie lass?" He whispered his lips against her ear. "An' what else do ye like?" She shivered against him. He felt heady from her heat and scent and the sight of her lips and eyes and—

"Shall we get out of here?" She said suddenly, voice sounding low, and he nodded and called their server to them. Somehow, Reeve cleared his head enough to settle the check, but the rest felt a blur. Rita led him back downstairs. And all the while he stared at her, drinking in her freckles, the sheen of her auburn hair, the warmth of her palm.

They met Felix at the car, his black eyes sparkling with glee. Rita whispered something to him and he nodded, and then with an impish grin she pulled Reeve into the backseat of the car with her.

Sitting side by side, Reeve wanted nothing than to embrace her, commit to his mind how she felt in his arms. With a knowing look Rita shook her head and said, "First, we strap in and arrive at our destination."

"Which is?" A touch of his Kalm brogue lingered, but Reeve didn't feel embarrassed. He felt less inclined to hide it now, knowing how much she liked it.

"A surprise," a coy smile traipsed across her face.

Their journey—though short—felt unbearably long to Reeve. His heart panged to run his hand along her arm, to pull her near. When they slowed to their destination, Reeve felt surprised.

"The Sector 1 Park?" He looked at Rita, who had an excited glint in her eye.

"Yes. C'mon." She ushered him out of the car and toward the winding pathway that looped around a playground. "This park was the first project we worked on together. Well"—she chuckled— "not including everything we dealt with my first day. But, the first project we _planned_."

"I remember." Early on in her tenure, Reeve found himself carried away with the idea of city-wide park system—but he'd had little time to dedicate to the project, on top of the demands the President and other Execs expected of him.

Rita though... "You really deserve all tha credit for that," he admitted. "Ye did all the legwork—"

"And _you_ convinced the President, which is the real feat," she squeezed his hand, smile bright.

"Safe to say we're quite the team." They stood close together, his body electric against her. Reeve admired the smattering of freckles across the bridge of Rita's nose. He felt _so_ tempted to leaned down and nuzzle it with his own.

As soon as he thought it, Rita tipped her head up, fractions away from him. Her eyelashes fluttered, and the hint of something flitted across her face. After a moment's hesitation, Rita asked, "May I kiss you?"

His heart hitched. A million words flitted through his mind, a befuddled _What?_ and _Really?_ chief among them, but Reeve fortunately had the sense of mind to not say them aloud. She waited for an answer, but as he stared into her dove gray eyes he realized he didn't need to say anything at all.

Reeve closed the gap between their lips, and kissed Rita.

She cooed against him in pleasure, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself flush to him. He returned the gesture, _finally_ encircling an arm around her waist. His other hand came to her face, his thumb brushing along her cheek.

When they parted to catch their breath, Reeve let himself admit, "I've always wanted to do that."

Rita raised an eyebrow. " _Always?"_

"Long enough," he shrugged, sheepish.

She giggled and said, "Me too."

"Always?"

She turned pink. "Well, I did spend my college years with your picture plastered all over campus, _hotshot_. I guess you can say you were an early celebrity crush."

He laughed and blushed again, not knowing what to say. Rita didn't give him any chance to worry though, kissing him again. He felt nothing but felicity.

They lingered in the park like that—both agreeing not _too long_ , to spare themselves the worst of what was sure to come of Felix's teasing. And though both of them desperately wished to stay, they knew the night needed to come to an end. Hand-in-hand, they returned to the car, where Felix waited with a sly grin and nod but was otherwise wordless.

Rita's apartment was only a few blocks away. The ride was too short. Walking her to her door, she kissed him at the threshold. “We’ll probably end up seeing each other tomorrow at work but act surprise as if we had no idea the other would be there on the weekend.”

Reeve laughed, “Why don’t we just skip that part—I can pick you up for breakfast, and we can go in together.”

He would never tire of the way she flushed even to her ears. She nodded in agreement, and with a final kiss she bid him a sweet goodnight.

Happily dazed, Reeve returned to the car and slumped into his seat in a stupor. The partition slowly rolled down and Felix's cheeky grin came into view.

_"Finally!"_

**Author's Note:**

> My Rita is the granddaughter of Mayor Domino (Papa). I am still torn between whether she calls the Deputy Poppy simply because she's known him forever, or because he's also the romantic partner of Domino...so I kept that part vague. Meh. Just insight into some of my headcanoning.


End file.
